Twin Ports Shipping Down Through August

The Port of Duluth-Superior has seen a significant decline in tonnage through August this year. According to the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, total tonnage is about 3.9 million tons short of last year's pace.

The main contributors to this decline are lower coal shipments and iron ore exports. Coal shipments accounted for around 75% of the decline, largely due to a shift in North American energy production away from coal-fired electricity. This has led to the closure of Superior's Midwest Energy Resources coal terminal, which had been operational for over 50 years.

The remaining 25% of the tonnage deficit is attributed to a drop in iron ore shipments. Half of this decline can be attributed to reduced exports to Canada.

However, not all cargo categories have seen declines. Grain, cement, and salt shipments have experienced significant increases. Durum wheat exports more than doubled from last year's pace, while imports of Turkish cement increased by 82% and Canadian salt by 19%.